Radio Addiction: A DJ's Perspective

On Radio Survivor we tend to talk more about what it means to be a radio listener than what it’s like to be behind the scenes as a radio DJ.

I’m one of those serial DJs who hasn’t been able to shake off the lure of hitting the airwaves year after year in order to both learn about new and obscure music, but also to share my love of music with others.

In an interview that I did recently with community radio DJ and Confessions of a Teenage Jesus Jerk author Tony DuShane, I was struck by the importance that radio (and music) has played in his life and think that he speaks for many long-time DJs when he says:

“It’s an addiction. I have to DJ. There’s a difference when DJing at clubs and bars. When you’re DJing to FM airwaves, you’re DJing into space. There’s no feeling like it. It’s like inviting people over and playing records and talking about the records. Except your friends are in range of a transmitter. There could be five. There could be 5,000.”

For me, being on the microphone and the ritual of doing a radio show brings with it a surprising sense of calm, even though the minutes before my show are always fraught with panic about what to play first.

So, all of you DJs out there, what is it that keeps you coming back week after week?

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About Jennifer Waits

Jennifer Waits is co-founder of Radio Survivor and is its College Radio and Culture Editor. She's fascinated by the culture of radio and has visited more than 100 radio stations in the United States and in Ireland. She is passionate about radio history and is a Research Associate on the Library of Congress' Radio Preservation Task Force. A long-time college radio DJ herself, she hosts a weekly show at KFJC 89.7FM in Los Altos Hills, California.

One Response to Radio Addiction: A DJ's Perspective

When I plan the music for my show, I get very excited about playing it for the listeners, even though I have no idea how many people that might be. I try to remember that someone out there might be having a rough time, might be hanging on to the tunes and my voice.